Seamus McCaffery : biography

03 June 1950 -

Seamus McCaffery (born June 3, 1950) is a Justice on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to his election to the Supreme Court, he was a judge on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and a municipal court judge in Philadelphia. He was the judge at "Eagles Court", an ad hoc court created to deal with unruly fans at Philadelphia Eagles games.

Judicial career

In 1993, McCaffery won election to Municipal Court in Philadelphia. With support from members of the city council, he developed Eagles Court in 1998 in response to a 1997 Monday Night Football game between the Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers. With over 60 fistfights reported at the nationally televised game, stadium violence became an embarrassment for the city. McCaffery presided over the court, which was convened in the basement of Veterans Stadium, and handed out fines or jail time to fans arrested during games.

He was elected to the Superior Court in 2003 and successfully ran for the Supreme Court in 2007.

Personal

McCaffery was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1950. His family emigrated to the United States when he was five. He graduated from Cardinal Dougherty High School in Philadelphia and joined the United States Marine Corps.

After leaving active duty, McCaffery joined the Marine Corps Reserve and joined the Philadelphia Police Department. He served in the police department for 20 years, rising to Sergeant. While a police officer, McCaffery put himself through university at La Salle University and law school at Temple University.

In 2008 he retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He is also a 33° Mason.